The present invention relates to a waterproof electrical connector.
A conventional connector 101 is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 of this specification. This conventional connector is a waterproof connector employing a configuration whereby a space between a terminal housing member 103 and a skirt member 111 of a corresponding connector 110 is sealed by a sealing ring 102. This sealing ring 102 is annular and is housed within a fitting space 104. When the connector 101 is to be fitted to the corresponding connector 110, the skirt member 111 is inserted into the fitting space 104, and the sealing ring 102 is gripped between inner walls of the skirt member 111 and outer walls of the terminal housing member 103, thereby waterproofing the interior of the connector.
In the above configuration, the outer circumference of the fitting space 104 must be increased to the extent of the thickness of the sealing ring 102, thereby requiring the connector 101 to be larger in size. Furthermore, a space 105 is formed within the fitting space 104. This corresponds to the space between an anterior end 102A of the sealing ring 102 and a fitting face 112 of the corresponding connector 110, and has the thickness of the sealing ring 102. This space 105 is surplus space which serves no fiction for the connector. If removed, the size of the connector could be reduced.
The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a waterproof connector wherein the surplus space is removed, and the connector can thereby have a smaller size.
According to the invention there is provided a waterproof connector comprising a terminal accommodating member adapted to house a terminal fitting, a hood surrounding said accommodating member, a fitting space formed between said hood and accommodating member, a corresponding connector having a tubular mouth being insertable into said fitting space, and a waterproofing member being provided at said fitting space, one of the inner and outer circumferential faces of said waterproofing member forming a sealing face with the corresponding connector characterized in that one of an inner wall face of said hood and an outer wall face of said accommodating member is provided with a recess to house said waterproofing member. Such a connector has no dead space, and can easily be miniaturized.
In a preferred embodiment the connector is in two part form, the accommodating member and hood being moulded separately and assembled after positioning of the waterproofing member. Such an arrangement permits convenient assembly of the components.
The waterproofing member preferably fits precisely in the associated recess without clearance, and radial faces thereof may provide sealing against relatively movable parts of an assembled connector. Furthermore this arrangement provides for easy insertion and retention of the waterproofing member, and with suitable attention to tolerances, may exert an end load on the waterproofing member with a consequent bulging in the radial direction, thus improving the waterproofing ability thereof.